Bathtub formed with body rests



p 1951 G. K. MlYAKAWA 2,566,495

BATI-ITUB FORMED WITH BODY REST-S Filed Sept. 9, 1949 /9 PI E- .1.

I N VENTOR GENE K. M\YAKAWA ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 4, 1951 2,566,495, A U V BATHTUB FORMED wrrn BODY RESTS wa, sme ma-am; if Applimfim September 1949, Serial No. 114,885

1 Claim.

This invention relates to bathtubs, and more particularly to a bathtub having an internal shape adapted to provide relaxation for the user of the tub, as well as conserving water.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved bathtub which is very simple in construction, which is shaped to provide a very comfortable reclining position for the person using the tub, and which is arranged so that a minimum amount of hot Water is required to take a bath.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved bathtub which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is very compact in size, and which allows the user of the tub to assume a very comfortable and natural relaxed position while taking a bath.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claim, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of an improved bathtub constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken on th line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, ll generally designates the improved bathtub, said tub being preferably rectangular in plan and being formed from a single piece of material, such as by casting or the like. The tub comprises a hollow body having the end walls l2 and H, the side walls l4 and I5 and the specially-shaped top wall, shown generally at IS. The tub is formed along the top margin of the side wall M with an upstanding flange l1 forming a prolongation of the wall 14 and being adapted to abut the wall surface of a bathroom in which the tub is installed to define a flush joint therewith. At the end wall l2, the tub is formed with a vertical upstanding extension which is shaped to define a headrest at the intermediat portion of the end of the tub, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The top wall I6 is formed with a main depression l9 having relatively steep side walls 20, 20 and a graduallysloping rear wall 2|. The bottom wall of the depression is substantially horizontal, and may have a slight forward and downward slope, leading to a drain opening 23 formed in the forward end portion of the depression. The forward wall of the main depression l9, shown at 24, slope forwardly and upwardly at an angle of about 45, and terminates at a footrest portion 25 which is substantially horizontal, and preferably has a slight forward and downward slope. At the forward end of the footrest portion 25, the tub cavity extends upwardly, as shown at 26, to merge with the forward vertical wall l3. As shown in Figure l, the side wall portions of the footrest section 25, designated respectively at 21, 21, are substantially vertical and converge toward the forward end wall 26 of the bathtub cavity. The side wall portions 21, 2! merge with the relatively steep side wall portions 20, 20 of the main cavity [9 of the tub. At the forward end wall of the tub, openings 28 and 29 are provided at the upper portions of the respective wall elements 26 and 13 to receive conventional bathtub overflow fittings.

As shown in Figure 2, the openings 28 and 29 define the top water level of the tub, shown in broken line view at 30, said top water level being spaced slightly below the outer plane of the top wall l6 of the tub. It is readily apparent from Figure 2 that a person seated in the tub may assume a very comfortable, relaxed position, with the persons head supported against the headrest portion I 8 and the persons legs supported on the footrest portion 25, the main portion of the persons body being received in a very comfortable reclining position in the main cavity of the tub. The shape of the cavity is such that only a relatively small amount of water is required to completely immerse the persons body, while at the same time sufflcient clearance is provided to allow normal movements of the body during the bathing procedure.

The footrest portion is provided with. a rearwardly flaring groove 3| located in the vertical longitudinal central plane of the tub, said groove facilitating the drainage of water from the footrest portion 25 of the tub when the tub is being emptied. As will be seen from Figure 2, the bottom of groove 3| slopes downwardly and rearwardly.

The angle of inclination of the rear backrest portion 2| of the main cavity is preferably of the order of While a specific embodiment of a bathtub has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A bathtub comprising a body formed with a top cavity having a relatively deep and wide rear main portion. and a relatively shallow and narrow forward portion, the respective cavity portions having substantially horizontal bottom walls and relatively steep side walls, the main cavity portion having an upwardly and rearwardly-inclined rear wall, an upwardly and forwardly-inclined wall connecting the bottom wall of the main cavity portion to the bottom wall of the narrow forward cavity portion, the bottom wall of the narrow forward cavity portion being formed with a cen-. v

tral groove whose bottom wall slopes downwardly and rearwardly, and a vertically-r'ising- Headrest portion rigidly secured to the body atlthe top of REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 1,797,777 Krauss Mar. 24, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number 7 Country Date 511,483 Great Britain Aug. 18, 1939 

